Sunday, February 28, 2016

Hospital Ginger Bread #BookClubCookBookCC

This February, I am hosting the #BookClubCookBookCC and really excited to share my selection from The Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club’s Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp.

A little background if you don't remember my kick off post in July, a group bloggers organized by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla(click the link if you want to join the fun!) draw inspiration from a book and recipes published in The Book Club Cookbookwhich was provided to bloggers by Judy, Vicki, and their publisher, Tarcher-Penguin. Each month, a blogger selected a book and The Book Club Cookbook offers several suggested recipes or the blogger can create a recipe inspired by the story. At the end of the month the host or hostess posts a round-up and gives away a copy of the book.

Even if you are not part of the blogs listed above, any blogger can join in our fun! This month, I chose for us to read The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara and make Civil War Cherry Apple Cobbler with Sweet Vanilla Custard.

This novel is a Pulitzer Prize winning historical novel. I know that is not everyone's cup of tea, but it is right up my ally! The book is writer about the Battle of Gettysburg and told from different perspectives of the soldiers of the Union and Confederacy. The film Gettysburg is the film adaption of this book. The book is recognized as one of the best written on this particular time in American history. I love that there is so much focus on the characters and it allows the reader to really engage and see the different perspectives of soldiers during that time.

I selected this book for the story, but unfortunately cherries are not in season in my neck of the woods. I searched for a Civil War era recipe that would have been relevant to the soldiers. One type of food I ran into in my reading was Hospital Ginger Bread. The bread was considered a comfort food and was given to hospitalized soldiers to lighten their mood. It was also included in care packages from families. I found a recipe from 1860 from Ms. Josephine Peffer. The recipe won the blue ribbon at the Wisconsin State Fair. The bread is delicious, but be aware- it is not a sweet bread! However, there are suggestions to add a few tablespoons of packed brown sugar if you want a sweeter bread. I was actually a little surprised by the flavor because normally I expect sweet from a quick bread and this was delicious change, and I can see why this is a comfort food!

Ingredients

1 cup molasses

¼ lb butter, softened

½ cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 Tbl ground ginger

1 Tbl baking powder

2 cups flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 9 x 5 bread pan and dust it lightly with flour. Beat the ¼ pound of butter until it is smooth and creamy. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the buttermilk and molasses, and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, ginger, and baking powder. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40-50 minutes. Stick a toothpick into the center of the bread. If it comes out clean, the bread is done. Cool in the pan, cut and serve with butter.

Giveaway

This month Ashley at Cheese Curd in Paradise (Me!), this month's host, is giving away a copy of the book.* Enter to win a copy of the cookbook so you can join us in future months, if you wish!

One of our lucky readers - US and Canada only! - can enter to win a copy ofThe Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp, courtesy of Tarcher-Penguin. Giveaway runs from February 1st till February 29th at 6 o'clock PM, Pacific time. Please see terms and conditions in the rafflecopter widget below. Many thanks to Tarcher Books. You may find Tarcher: on the web, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Pinterest.

*Disclosure: I was received a complimentary copy of The Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp as an opportunity to give a copy away. Opinions are our own. We received no further compensation for our posts.